Iowa Code § 50.22
This is the official text of Iowa Code § 50.22, part of Iowa’s Code — part of the compiled statutory law of Iowa, published by the state as "Code." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
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Special precinct board to determine challenges and canvass absentee ballots.
Official statutory text
(1) Upon being reconvened, the special precinct election board shall review the information upon the envelopes bearing the provisional ballots, and all evidence submitted in support of or opposition to the right of each challenged person to vote in the election. The board may divide itself into panels of not less than three members each in order to hear and determine two or more challenges simultaneously, but each panel shall meet the requirements of section 49.12 as regards political party affiliation of the members of each panel.
(2) The decision to count or reject each ballot shall be made upon the basis of the information given on the envelope containing the provisional ballot, the evidence concerning the challenge, the registration and the returned receipts of registration. Ballots submitted to the board pursuant to section 49.78 or 49.81 that are not cured by the deadline provided in section 49.81, subsection 6, shall be rejected.
(3) If a provisional ballot is rejected, the person casting the ballot shall be notified by the commissioner within ten days of the reason for the rejection, on the form prescribed by the state commissioner pursuant to section 53.25, and the envelope containing the provisional ballot shall be preserved unopened and disposed of in the same manner as spoiled ballots. The provisional ballots which are accepted shall be counted in the manner prescribed by section 53.23, subsection 5. The commissioner shall make public the number of provisional ballots rejected and not counted, at the time of the canvass of the election.
(4) The special precinct board shall also canvass any absentee ballots which were received after the polls closed in accordance with section 53.17. If necessary, they shall reconvene again on the day of the canvass by the board of supervisors to canvass any absentee ballots which were timely received. The special precinct board shall submit their tally list to the supervisors before the conclusion of the canvass by the board.
[C77, 79, 81, §50.22]87 Acts, ch 221, §24; 88 Acts, ch 1119, §20; 89 Acts, ch 136, §47, 48; 94 Acts, ch 1169, §53; 2005 Acts, ch 19, §22; 2009 Acts, ch 57, §39; 2017 Acts, ch 54, §76; 2025 Acts, ch 123, §47
(2) The decision to count or reject each ballot shall be made upon the basis of the information given on the envelope containing the provisional ballot, the evidence concerning the challenge, the registration and the returned receipts of registration. Ballots submitted to the board pursuant to section 49.78 or 49.81 that are not cured by the deadline provided in section 49.81, subsection 6, shall be rejected.
(3) If a provisional ballot is rejected, the person casting the ballot shall be notified by the commissioner within ten days of the reason for the rejection, on the form prescribed by the state commissioner pursuant to section 53.25, and the envelope containing the provisional ballot shall be preserved unopened and disposed of in the same manner as spoiled ballots. The provisional ballots which are accepted shall be counted in the manner prescribed by section 53.23, subsection 5. The commissioner shall make public the number of provisional ballots rejected and not counted, at the time of the canvass of the election.
(4) The special precinct board shall also canvass any absentee ballots which were received after the polls closed in accordance with section 53.17. If necessary, they shall reconvene again on the day of the canvass by the board of supervisors to canvass any absentee ballots which were timely received. The special precinct board shall submit their tally list to the supervisors before the conclusion of the canvass by the board.
[C77, 79, 81, §50.22]87 Acts, ch 221, §24; 88 Acts, ch 1119, §20; 89 Acts, ch 136, §47, 48; 94 Acts, ch 1169, §53; 2005 Acts, ch 19, §22; 2009 Acts, ch 57, §39; 2017 Acts, ch 54, §76; 2025 Acts, ch 123, §47
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
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